Albi Ndrenika lurked in the penalty area, ready to pounce.
Late in a high-stakes Big Ten matchup against then No. 14 Washington, the Maryland men’s soccer forward was in the perfect spot to get his foot on a deflected ball and direct it into the net. Ndrenika’s 83rd-minute goal secured a crucial victory Oct. 31, helping the Terps leapfrog the Huskies into first place and put them on track for their first regular-season title since 2022.
Ndrenika was the “right man in the right place,” head coach Sasho Cirovski said of his senior attacker, who has served as Maryland’s Swiss Army knife on offense this season, playing striker, winger and attacking midfielder. “He’s continued to be one of the inspirational leaders of this team, just the way he plays, the way he presses, continuing the tradition of Maryland soccer.”
Ndrenika’s late winner — his third of the season to go along with a team-high eight assists — was a capstone on a stellar season for the Terps (12-0-3, 8-0-2 Big Ten).
But all of this success nearly didn’t happen. Ndrenika’s first two college seasons were marred by separate back injuries, including one that stole his entire sophomore campaign. Despite those setbacks, Ndrenika, an Olney native and Baltimore Armour product, has persevered to help his hometown club reach No. 1 in the country and earn the top seed in the Big Ten tournament. Maryland kicks off its postseason run with a semifinal matchup against UCLA Nov. 12 at 7 p.m.
“I’ve shifted to [striker] the last couple games, so in those spots, in the box, I always try to tell myself to be ready, be on your toes,” Ndrenika said of his heroics against Washington. “The ball is going to come somewhere. You’ve got to beat the defender to that spot.”
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None of this seemed possible two years ago.
Coming off a strong freshman campaign in 2022, in which he overcame a sacral stress reaction in his back to score two goals, including one in an NCAA Tournament game, the 5-foot-10, 175-pound Ndrenika was eyeing an even larger role for the Terps.
In a preseason matchup, Ndrenika awed his coaches and teammates by scoring a beautiful curling goal with his left foot, a sweet finish that would surely be repeated several more times the rest of the season. But the next morning, Ndrenika woke up in extreme pain, barely able to take a step.
“Freshman year, we could see how talented he was,” said Luca Costabile, a senior captain and defender. “In the preseason, he was playing out of his mind. The next morning, I remember I was getting treatment and I heard from our athletic trainer that Albi couldn’t get out of bed.”
Throughout the next nine months, Ndrenika visited what felt like every doctor in the state, undergoing myriad tests, scans, treatments and injections to ease his discomfort. Specialists were flummoxed, floating possible diagnoses as serious as an autoimmune disease or cancer. Finally, a PET scan revealed the true affliction, a bacterial bone infection called osteomyelitis.
While Ndrenika and his family were relieved to know the cause of his pain, there was no guarantee he would recover well enough ever to play soccer again.
At the time, the sport was his “third or fourth priority,” Ndrenika said. “I was bedridden, my whole lower back and abdomen were stiff. My quality of life turned into nothing overnight.”
Costabile and the rest of the Maryland team tried to keep Ndrenika’s spirits up during his long recovery, holding up his jersey during pregame warmups and keeping him close to the team. Still, the team struggled in 2023, finishing 4-8-3, and missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time under Cirovski since 2000.
After discussing possibly transitioning to a non-playing role, Ndrenika and Cirovksi agreed he would continue to try to work his way back to full health. Cirovski credited his player with never letting his mentality waver throughout his recovery.
“He’s an energetic, robust player and a fierce competitor, a local kid who loves the program,” Cirvoski said. “It’s a pleasure to see him playing pain-free for the first time in four years.”
On Aug. 30, 2024, 649 days since his last competitive soccer match, Ndrenika entered a 3-0 game against Detroit Mercy. In the waning moments of the first half, Costabile lofted a ball over the Mercy defense to a darting Ndrenika, who took two quick touches before firing the ball past the keeper.
The crowd at Ludwig Field erupted as Ndrenika wheeled away, covering his face and sliding across the turf before disappearing under a mob of white and red jerseys. Ndrenika said he was happy to celebrate his return to soccer with members of his family, who were in the stands.
“We all celebrated like we won the Champions League,” Costabile said. “We were all so happy for him. It was almost bigger than the victory itself.”
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On the first day of preseason training this summer, Cirovski did something he’s never done before. The three-time national title-winning coach brought his 2018 national championship ring in to show his team.
Holding the diamond-encrusted jewelry had a lasting impact on Costabile and Ndrenika. Neither player has made it past the second round of the NCAA Tournament since coming to Maryland.
“It’s not something I normally do, but I had a feeling and instinct that this team has the potential to do something special,” Cirovski said. “To show them what the end could look like and challenge them on how hard it’s going to be. So far, so good.”
Cirovski’s instincts proved right as the Terps marched through the regular season, netting 40 goals and allowing just 12. Heading into the Halloween tilt with Washington, Maryland needed a win to overtake the Huskies in the standings.
“We’ve been stressing all year that we’re a 90-minute team,” Ndrenika said. “We know if we stick around, we are going to get opportunities.”
After a barrage of second-half chances fell short, Ndrenika poked in the deciding goal in the waning minutes, again causing bedlam at Ludwig Field. The shutout was the fourth against a ranked opponent and eighth overall.
The team claimed the Big Ten regular-season title a week later with a 4-3 victory against Michigan State, capping its first unbeaten regular season since 2016. The Terps now set their sights on a fourth Big Ten tournament title and the first for Cirovski since Maryland three-peated from 2014-2016.
Because of his lost sophomore season, Ndrenika has one more year of eligibility, so these games don’t feel like a last ride. But they do give off an air of possibility.
Two years ago, Ndrenika couldn’t take a step without suffering excruciating pain. Now he’s approaching 1,000 minutes of game time, playing for a team that’s nearly impossible to beat. While the Terps have big goals and a deep postseason run in mind this month, Ndrenika is just happy to be back on the field playing the game he loves.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Maryland Athletics